The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Clock Starts Ticking Again, #5

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32;1,2)

Notice Isaiah 32:1,2. We will paraphrase the second verse (Isaiah 32:2) in accordance with newer translations of the Scriptures:

"Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. Each of these (the King and His princes) will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."

When will it be necessary for Christ and His conquerors, those who stand with Him on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1), to shelter people from the storm? Certainly not during the thousand-year Kingdom Age. Rather it will be during the latter part of the seventieth week.

No preaching of the Gospel will be permitted, and the Holy Spirit will not be poured out, during the second half of the week. The "sacrifice" and the "grain offering" will cease in the middle of the week (Daniel 9:27). No individual in the major cities will be able to receive Christ for salvation and no person will be able to be baptized with the Holy Spirit of God.

We think that the "sacrifice" refers to the preaching of the atonement for sin and the "grain offering" signifies the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon people. The feast of Pentecost celebrated the conclusion of the grain harvest. Also, it may be noted that the grain ceased growing during the seven lean years of Joseph.

It is hard to picture a world in which there is no preaching of the Gospel but this soon will be the case. First must come the most powerful of all revivals, the pouring out of God's Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28). After that, the power of Christ will be exercised in the protecting and nourishing of His true saints, not in the gathering of the Gentiles. For during the seventieth week the time of the Gentiles will come to an end (Romans 11:25).

We are nearing the end of the present age!

The Scripture teaches plainly that the Glory of the Lord will abide on the saints during a time of great spiritual darkness. It is our understanding that this glory will begin with the saints hidden away in the wilderness during the latter part of the week and then will expand until it culminates in the heralding of the return from Heaven of Christ. The two witnesses will stand once more upon their feet at the coming of the Lord from Heaven (Revelation 11:11).

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:2)

To be continued.